Ethylene Oxide Concentration and Lung Function among Workers in Hospital’ Central Sterile Supply Department in Rayong Province

Abstract

This study aimed to determine personal factors, job factors and concentration of ethylene oxide gas affecting lung function of the hospital workers of central supply units at Rayong Province. The samples were 70 workers. Most of them were female (90.00%), with an average age of 40.71 ± 9.18 years. Most of them (87.10%) had time period in the current position for 1.53 ± 0.737 years. In most of the sterilization rooms had general ventilation systems at 88.57%. Sixty eight point fifty seven percentage of the workers reported wearing protective face masks while entering the sterilization room. The measurements of ethylene oxide concentration in the working environment revealed that Hospital No. 4 had the highest concentration (0.696 ppm). The time weighted average concentration of ethylene oxide was 0.086 ± 0.029 ppm. Most of workers had normal FEV1 / FVC (%). The results indicated that factors that affect lung function FEV1 / FVC are wearing a chemical protective mask (p– value, 0.021) and the concentration of ethylene oxide in the working area (p– value, 0.002).